Low blood sugar can impair all brains, diabetic or not. What type of thinking suffers in the face of low sugar? According to a study published in Diabetes Care, the executive brain functions, in all people, suffer during low blood sugar.

It’s funny how common it is to hear somebody without diabetes complain how they need something to eat. The ability to alert that their brain is feeling deprived of glucose is a sense taken for granted by the islet gifted population.

All brains use executive cognitive function to organize thoughts, prioritization of tasks, and time management. This study examined the effect of low sugar on executive function in adults with and without diabetes.

The study examined 32 adults, with and without T1D. Compared with normal blood sugar cognitive functioning, executive functions were significantly impaired during low blood sugar. More time was needed for all participants to complete tests, and participants scored lower on these tests, during lower blood sugar.

Comparatively, all participants scored lower on low sugar testing but in some tests, the performance of participants with diabetes was more impaired than those without diabetes.

This study shows something exclusively enlightening for people who do not have diabetes. Imagine how you feel after hours of not eating. Then imagine trying to do something important that requires accuracy and speed. Welcome to a world with diabetes.